TheDairySite Newsletter - 13 April 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: European Dairy Overview

The French Milk Producers Association (APLI) has written to President Nicolas Sarkozy, highlighting their issues with five year compulsory milk contracts.

ALPI says that whilst the contracts must stipulate a minimum term of five years, they do not have to specify a minimum farm-gate price that would cover cost of production. Producers feel that this would put them at an economic disadvantage and threaten their livelihood.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has advised dairy co-operatives to approach milk prices cautiously, in coming months, to avoid making rash decisions, which could have a major impact on farmers' profitability and confidence.

Chairman Kevin Kiersey said that farmers still need to invest in their farms for expansion. As well as facing increased input costs, some will have to pay superlevy bills.

"The industry cannot expand without profitability and confidence and excessive or premature price cuts can destroy both."

A free trade agreement waiting to be approved with Columbia would allow up to 500 tonnes of EU dairy products to enter the Columbian market duty free each year. This represents an increase of around 10 per cent. Tariffs for butter and fresh cheeses, however, will not see any reductions.

European Agricultural Commissioner Dacion Ciolos has confirmed his commitment to making young farmers central to the post 2013 Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Mr Ciolos said that over the last 10 years, Europe has lost almost three million farmers. This, he said, demonstrates how important it is to put a proactive policy in place at a European level to support new farmers in agriculture. He said the CAP reforms would provide financial support with an installation subsidy and facilitate access to bank loans.

Can Soil Biology Optimise Slurry Management?
Soil husbandry advice akin to grassland and animal husbandry would be useful to help producers manage soils so that they perform better, with fewer inputs and losses, say researchers from Teagasc, Department of Crops Environment and Land-
Use.
Using Genomics to Improve Dairy Cattle
The British Society of Animal Science looks at how genetics can help producers improve their herd, not just for production traits, but also for traits such as greenhouse gas emissions and welfare.
Microbiological Surveillance of Raw Milk
Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) reduced analysis time compared to culture methods and may be a useful tool for microbiological testing on farm, according to researchers in Italy. The PCR method was more sensitive than culture methods in detecting E. coli O157 in all samples tested.
Mycotoxins: Serious Threat to Dairy Industry
The contamination of animal feed with mycotoxins is a worldwide problem in animal production. The complex diet of ruminants, consisting of forages, concentrates, and silages, can be a source of diverse mixtures of mycotoxins that contaminate individual feed components.
Emerging Threats Quarterly Report - October-December 2011
After cases in Wales, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratory Agency report for October to December 2011 has reported the first case of psoroptic mange in cattle in Northern England.

EBBE: Improving the Productivity of Your Dairy Herd
EU - How can you increase milk production in your dairy herd? The
European Board of Bovine Experts (EBBE) will be discussing this at
their third meeting on 26-27 April 2012, Milan.
New Director of Pfizer US Veterinary Medical Services
US - Pfizer Animal Health announced today that it has named Dr Christine Jenkins to the position of Group Director of US Veterinary Medical Services.
Be Strategic About Deworming this Year
US - Today, many cattle producers recogniSe that one-size-fits-all parasite control is not always the most effective approach. Rather than looking for a single solution, a strategic approach that considers geography and timing can help ensure that you get the results you expect from your deworming programme.